Competing for an open seat on the commission, both first-time candidates pitched themselves as practical problem-solvers capable of moving past political dysfunction, even as they detailed differing visions for economic development, city budget priorities, and local government transparency.

Growth, Urban Sprawl, and the Local Economy

Perez, a veteran high school teacher of 16 years, framed his platform around curbing suburban sprawl and highlighting Tallahassee’s distinct cultural identity. Drawing on post-World War II development metrics like “value per acre,” Perez warned that extending city infrastructure into outer fringes creates long-term debt burdens for future generations.

Perez criticized generic developments like vape shops and car washes, urging the city to instead commercialize research from Florida A&M University (FAMU), Florida State University (FSU), and Tallahassee State College (TSC) to retain young professionals. Furthermore, Perez voiced strong opposition to committing municipal tax dollars for roads, water, and sewer infrastructure in distant developments like the proposed Wani project.

Derzypolski, a Navy veteran and longtime local business owner with 25 years of civic involvement, countered with a plan focused on regional collaboration, infill development, and creating a business-friendly environment. Derzypolski advocated incentivizing housing growth within the urban core inside Capital Circle to revitalize neglected neighborhoods, reduce crime, and meet affordable housing demands without taking on speculative suburban debt. He stressed that local government must change its mindset from “no” to “how can we make this work,” pointing to target sectors such as academic medical development, medical technology, and workforce training partnerships to drive high-wage career growth.

Party Affiliations and Independent Leadership

With neither candidate having previously held public office, both spent significant time explaining recent shifts in their political party registrations.

Derzypolski recently changed his registration from Republican to No Party Affiliation (NPA). Recounting his enlistment in the Navy at 18 and his past votes for family members like former State Senator Bill Montford, Derzypolski explained that growing frustration with national partisan rhetoric led him to align as an NPA. He rejected accusations from opponents labeling him a “MAGA-aligned” candidate, insisting local voters are thirsty for independent, level-headed leadership that evaluates projects on merit rather than party lines.

Perez, who previously registered as an NPA to keep political ideology out of his high school classroom, recently re-registered as a Democrat. He explained that the shift was a pragmatic move to signal his core values to voters in a broad electorate where direct conversation with every citizen is impossible. Responding to questions regarding external progressive group endorsements, Perez emphasized that his campaign is rooted in local issues detailed transparently on his website.

Fiscal Stewardship, Amendment 3, and Utility Rates

Fiscal management stood out as a sharp point of consensus and debate, particularly regarding Florida’s proposed Amendment 3 property tax measure. Both candidates declared their opposition to the amendment, warning that it would strip local decision-making authority and severely slash municipal revenues.

If state property tax cuts pass, Perez proposed trimming bloated executive salaries and eliminating administrative redundancies while protecting public safety at all costs. On energy policy, Perez resisted automatic electric rate hikes for renewables, advocating creative alternatives such as rooftop solar, net metering, neighborhood agrivoltaics, and localized microgrids to preserve grid resiliency.

Derzypolski warned that revenue losses from Amendment 3 would threaten essential quality-of-life programs, including parks, libraries, and performing arts. He firmly opposed raising utility rates to accelerate renewable energy transitions, citing the immediate financial strain on working families struggling with everyday grocery and prescription costs.

Governance, Transparency, and Community Priorities

Both candidates expressed strong dissatisfaction with the process behind the City Commission’s recent appointment of new City Manager. Perez criticized the selection process and her $317,000 starting salary with a $1,000 monthly car allowance as tone-deaf during an affordability crisis. Derzypolski agreed the compensation package was overly generous for a starting figure, arguing that future raises should be strictly tied to performance metrics, though he emphasized that she deserves a fair shot to execute the commission’s direction.

When asked about allegations concerning fake social media accounts operated by city staff, Perez dismissed the controversy as “keyboard warrior” distraction that fails to reflect the daily concerns of working families. Derzypolski called for transparent, courageous leadership, stating that city staff should never engage in divisive behavior on taxpayer time.

The NEBA straw poll of its members was won by Derzypolski who received 95% of the vote while Perez garnered 5%.

City officials and community members gathered Sept. 23 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new 40,000-square-foot Tallahassee Senior Center at 2743 Welaunee Boulevard. Visitors toured the new facility following the ceremony. The center is built on approximately 6 acres of land – valued at $2.5 million – which was donated by the Ghazvini family.

According to a City of Tallahassee press release announcing the opening, the new center was designed primarily for active adults ages 50 and older and significantly expands the space available for senior programs.

The facility includes a double-size multipurpose gym featuring six indoor pickleball courts and two courts that can accommodate basketball and volleyball. The gym can also be used for table tennis, fitness classes and other activities.

A separate Lifelong Learning wing will provide space for educational classes, art programs, cards and games, along with health and wellness activities.

“Opening the second Tallahassee Senior Center is a testament to the City’s commitment to transformative projects that enhance the well-being of our community,” Mayor John Dailey said in the city’s press release. “The additional center will allow the City to better serve the growing senior population and the need for expanded programs for current and future residents.”

Tallahassee Senior Services has operated primarily from the historic Armory building on North Monroe Street since 1978. Built in 1935 to accommodate military troops, the building now hosts a wide range of senior classes, games, concerts and other programs.

The city said Senior Services staff and volunteers currently coordinate nearly 200 activities each month at the North Monroe Street center and 14 neighborhood locations. Those programs serve approximately 500 seniors per day.

“We are incredibly excited to welcome the community through the doors of Tallahassee’s second senior center,” Senior Services Manager Ceola Grant said. “This beautiful building will be a place where friendships grow as seniors stay active, engaged and connected.”

The Welaunee Boulevard facility will be available for use by the broader community, as is the original Senior Center on North Monroe Street. Regular operating hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Schedules for programs at both senior centers will be available through the city’s Senior Services website and its weekly newsletter.

Tallahassee Senior Services operates within the City’s Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Affairs Department.

The Sept. 23 agenda item outlines the results of a citywide review of policies, programs, expenditures, contracts, grants and official activities potentially affected by Senate Bill 1134. The law, approved by the Legislature as Chapter 2026-43, takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.

City staff is recommending commissioners accept the report and authorize administrative changes needed for compliance. The review identifies potential impacts involving the City’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Community Human Service Partnership grants, the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, procurement practices, special events and proclamations.

Under SB 1134, municipalities are prohibited from funding or promoting DEI or taking certain official actions related to DEI. Local governments also cannot spend money to establish, support or staff a DEI office or officer. The law allows residents to bring legal action against a municipality for violations and requires recipients of local government contracts or grants to certify that public funds will not be used for specified DEI-related instruction.

One significant change involves Tallahassee’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion. According to the agenda, the office currently handles functions including anti-harassment training, equal-employment-opportunity complaint intake and investigations, ADA accommodations and Career Mapping programs. Staff concluded those functions can continue if they are open to all city employees without reference to categories covered by the new law.

The Commission on the Status of Women and Girls presents a more direct conflict. The joint City-County commission was established in 2013 to promote issues involving women and girls. Because that mission explicitly focuses on sex, city attorneys concluded its current enabling resolution “appears to violate SB 1134” and would likely become void Jan. 1.

The City and County are working on a revised mission for the commission. Meanwhile, commissioners are being asked to extend the City’s contract with the Oasis Center for Women and Girls for administrative support through Dec. 31, along with the terms of seven commission members.

Special events could also be affected. City staff identified Experience Asia, Filipino Festival and Pride in the Park as events that may fall under the law’s restrictions. If ultimately determined to violate SB 1134, those events would no longer qualify for city-funded co-sponsorship beginning Jan. 1. The law, however, expressly permits municipalities to issue event permits in a content-neutral manner and provide public-safety services.

The City’s Emancipation Day holiday is expected to remain. The City Attorney’s Office concluded Tallahassee has a “reasonable and defensible” legal basis for continuing the May 20 paid holiday, citing its historical basis and statutory exceptions.

Procurement rules will also change. New and renewed contracts will no longer include race- or sex-based minority- and women-owned business goals, and existing MBE/WBE goal provisions will become unenforceable beginning Jan. 1. The city is reviewing procurement documents and plans to transition its MWSBE program to a race- and gender-neutral framework.

Staff also cautioned that future city proclamations will have to be reviewed individually because some official proclamations promoting activities based on protected characteristics could run afoul of the law.

The agenda lists no direct fiscal impact from the recommended actions.

In the post, Matlow did not explain the details of his proposal and has not responded to our request for specifics.

The post stated, “The utility bills are way too high. Part of that is record heat waves, part of it is global energy instability and the remainder is local government. Let’s get the taxes off of the utility bill and get to work lowering utility costs for everyone.”

In the video accompanying the post, Matlow states the first thing we do is “get the taxes off the utility bill.” He references the fire services fee and the stormwater fee.

The 2026 operating expenses for the Fire Services Fund are $65 million, and the Stormwater Fund expenses are $25 million.

During the video, Matlow never explains how the fees will be collected when moved off of the utility bill. However, a commenter asks a question about the proposal, “in property taxes? Or receive a separate bill?”

Matlow responds, “property taxes.”

Moving approximately $90 million in fees to property tax bills means that property owners will subsidize the services for non-property owners and non-profit property owners. All of these residents are currently required to pay the fees.

Complicating the issue is Matlow’s campaign proposal to cut property taxes.

How do you make property taxes responsible for millions more in new spending obligations and cut property taxes?

We have asked Commissioner Matlow this question and will report his answer if and when he responds.

The event will be held at the Capital City Country Club, with lunch beginning at 11:30 a.m. and the candidate forum scheduled to begin at noon, according to NEBA.

Derzypolski and Perez emerged from a crowded six-candidate primary for the seat currently held by Commissioner Jeremy Matlow, who is giving up the position to run for mayor.

Perez finished first in the Aug. 18 primary, receiving approximately 29% of the vote. Derzypolski secured the second runoff position following one of the closest local election contests in recent years. After machine and manual recounts, Derzypolski finished just 15 votes ahead of third-place candidate Talethia Edwards.

The two candidates have offered contrasting perspectives on several issues facing City Hall. During the primary campaign, Derzypolski, a local business owner and registered no-party-affiliation voter, emphasized fiscal responsibility, public safety and a less divisive approach to city government. Perez, a registered Democrat and former teacher, has called for changes in city priorities and has been more critical of the city’s current direction and management. Tallahassee municipal elections are officially nonpartisan.

The Sept. 22 forum comes as the candidates move into the final weeks of a campaign that could have a significant impact on the balance of power at City Hall. Seat 3 has been represented by Matlow since 2018, and the race is one of several city contests headed to the Nov. 3 general election.

NEBA regularly hosts forums featuring elected officials, candidates and community leaders, with an emphasis on issues affecting local businesses and the Tallahassee economy.

Federal Election Commission records show the Green Advocacy Project has contributed $200,000 to Lead Locally PAC since 2024 — $100,000 on April 29, 2024, $50,000 on June 12, 2025, and another $50,000 on May 1, 2026.

Lead Locally is now supporting Matlow’s campaign for mayor and has endorsed Dot Inman-Johnson and P.J. Perez as Tallahassee approaches the November general election.

The financial connection is notable because Green Advocacy Project was a major source of money for Matlow’s One Tallahassee political committee during the 2024 election cycle, when control of the City Commission was also at stake.

The records establish a recurring connection between the same climate advocacy network and Tallahassee politics. They do not establish that Green Advocacy Project’s contributions to Lead Locally were earmarked for Tallahassee or that Lead Locally PAC has made expenditures in the city’s 2026 races.

$200,000 to Lead Locally

Lead Locally PAC registered with the FEC in March 2024 as an independent-expenditure-only committee, commonly called a Super PAC. Federal records list a Los Angeles mailing address and Howie Stanger as treasurer.

The PAC’s fundraising records, including the transactions reviewed by Tallahassee Reports, show Green Advocacy Project contributing $100,000 shortly after the PAC was created and another $100,000 over the following two years.

The scale of the more recent contributions is significant. For the period from January 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, Lead Locally PAC reported total receipts of approximately $105,000. The two $50,000 Green Advocacy Project contributions documented during that period therefore account for about 95% of the PAC’s reported receipts during that timeframe. The PAC reported $140,474 in cash on hand as of June 30.

Lead Locally describes its mission in explicitly political and environmental terms. The organization says it works to elect state and local officials who will stand up to the fossil-fuel industry and support a “just green economy.” It says it has supported more than 240 candidates and helped elect more than 120.

Its website also says its work helps “recruit, train, and fundraise” for candidates seeking a transition away from fossil fuels.

A Familiar Name in Tallahassee

For Tallahassee voters, Green Advocacy Project is not a new participant in local politics.

In 2024, Green Advocacy Project contributed a total of $150,000 to One Tallahassee, the political committee created by Matlow. Green Advocacy Project founder Michael Kieschnick also personally contributed another $25,000 to the committee.

Matlow used One Tallahassee to support progressive candidates, including Inman-Johnson’s unsuccessful challenge to unseat City Commissioner Curtis Richardson. In September 2024 alone, Green Advocacy Project contributed another $75,000 as the general election approached.

The organization’s Tallahassee involvement predates 2024. Campaign-finance reporting previously connected Green Advocacy Project money to political efforts in the city’s 2018 and 2022 election cycles as well.

The newly documented Lead Locally relationship therefore provides another route through which an organization that has financially participated in previous Tallahassee elections is connected to candidates in the current election.

Michael Kieschnick Connection

The connection between Green Advocacy Project and Lead Locally also extends to Michael Kieschnick, the founder and president of Green Advocacy Project.

Green Advocacy Project’s own website identifies Kieschnick as president and a board member and notes that he co-founded and formerly headed CREDO, previously known as Working Assets.

Kieschnick has advocated using local elections as a vehicle for changing energy policy.

In a description of its electoral strategy, Green Advocacy Project said it had provided financial support to groups conducting campaigns for offices including mayor, city council, county council and port commissions. The organization said winning those elections could accelerate a transition to clean energy or block fossil-fuel infrastructure.

Green Advocacy Project describes its broader policy objective as a “rapid transition to a clean energy economy” through increased renewable energy and energy efficiency, restrictions on additional fossil-fuel infrastructure and other policy changes. The organization acknowledges that while most of its activities are non-electoral, it supports electoral efforts under some circumstances.

That strategy helps explain the potential significance of Tallahassee to national climate organizations: unlike most Florida cities, Tallahassee owns its electric utility.

Kieschnick’s connection to Lead Locally is also personal. FEC records shown in Lead Locally’s 2024 contribution data list a $500 contribution from Michael Kieschnick on October 30, 2024, in addition to the $100,000 Green Advocacy Project contribution earlier that year.

The result is a documented series of financial relationships involving the same individuals and organizations:

Green Advocacy Project/Kieschnick – One Tallahassee – 2024 Tallahassee elections and Green Advocacy Project/Kieschnick – Lead Locally PAC – organization backing Tallahassee candidates in 2026.

The existence of those financial relationships does not establish that Kieschnick or Green Advocacy Project directs Lead Locally’s candidate endorsements. It does, however, provide context about the sources financing the PAC associated with an organization now seeking to elect Tallahassee candidates.

Limited Information on Lead Locally Website

Those financial connections are not readily apparent from Lead Locally’s public-facing website.

The site extensively describes Lead Locally’s political mission, endorsed candidates, candidate-training activities and electoral successes. However, the pages reviewed by Tallahassee Reports do not prominently identify the people who lead the organization or provide a physical or mailing address.

The FEC filings provide information not apparent from those pages.

Federal records identify Lead Locally PAC’s treasurer as Howie Stanger and list its address as 1110 N. Virgil Ave. #375, Los Angeles, California. They also disclose the PAC’s contributions and expenditures, including its financial relationship with Green Advocacy Project.

There is no evidence that Lead Locally PAC has failed to make disclosures required under federal campaign-finance law. Its FEC filings are public. However, a voter visiting Lead Locally’s website to learn who is behind the organization would not readily see the Green Advocacy Project funding relationship revealed by the federal records.

Tallahassee’s Electric Utility in Focus

Lead Locally makes clear that Tallahassee’s utility is part of its interest in the mayor’s race.

On its current candidate page, the organization describes Matlow as a “progressive climate leader” and specifically cites Tallahassee’s publicly owned utility. It says Matlow has pushed the city toward renewable energy and would advocate for adding more solar rather than natural gas.

That position closely parallels Green Advocacy Project’s stated objectives.

Green Advocacy Project says it wants to accelerate renewable-energy adoption while preventing expansion of fossil-fuel infrastructure. Its earlier electoral strategy specifically identified electing mayors and city council members as a way of using local government to accelerate the transition to clean energy.

The issue takes on additional significance in Tallahassee because the five-member City Commission effectively serves as the governing board of the municipal electric utility. Commissioners make decisions involving power generation, solar projects, battery storage, natural-gas infrastructure, utility rates and long-term energy planning.

Will Outside Money Follow the Endorsements?

What happens next remains uncertain.

An endorsement by Lead Locally does not mean that Lead Locally PAC will spend money supporting the endorsed Tallahassee candidates. Nor do the FEC records demonstrate that Green Advocacy Project’s $200,000 in contributions was intended for Tallahassee.

The distinction is important because federal Super PAC money and Florida municipal campaign activity are governed by different reporting requirements, and any future spending would have to be evaluated based on the entity making the expenditure and the applicable disclosure rules.

But the history provides Tallahassee voters with context as the November election approaches.

In 2024, Green Advocacy Project supplied $150,000 to Matlow’s One Tallahassee committee, while Kieschnick personally contributed another $25,000. Two years later, federal records show Green Advocacy Project has contributed $200,000 to Lead Locally PAC, while Lead Locally is supporting Tallahassee progressives and highlighting the city’s electric utility as an important reason for electing Matlow.

Whether that support ultimately results in significant outside spending in the 2026 general election will be revealed in future campaign-finance reports.

What is already documented is that the national climate advocacy network that invested heavily in Tallahassee politics in 2024 remains connected to the city’s elections in 2026 — and the policy at the center of that involvement is one of the City Commission’s most consequential responsibilities: the future of Tallahassee’s publicly owned electric utility.

The 7-0 vote on Sept. 15 went further than the recommendation from county staff, which had proposed delaying implementation while courts consider a constitutional challenge involving automated traffic enforcement. Commissioners instead chose not to proceed with the school-zone speed detection system at this time, regardless of the eventual outcome of the pending litigation.

The decision represents a significant reversal from October 2025, when commissioners voted 6-1 to move forward with the program. Commissioner Bill Proctor cast the lone dissenting vote at the time. The county subsequently solicited proposals and selected RedSpeed Florida as its highest-ranked vendor.

The proposed county program was similar to the automated enforcement system already operating within the City of Tallahassee.

Under Florida law, local governments may use automated speed-detection systems in school zones. The systems can photograph or record vehicles exceeding applicable speed limits, with state law establishing requirements for signage, public notification and a warning period before enforcement begins.

However, legal questions surrounding automated traffic enforcement prompted county staff to recommend a delay.

A Broward County judge ruled earlier this year that a red-light-camera enforcement process was unconstitutional because it improperly shifted the burden of proof to vehicle owners. Although that case did not directly involve school-zone speed cameras, county officials noted similarities between the enforcement systems. The ruling is under review by the Fourth District Court of Appeal.

Other Florida counties have also reconsidered automated enforcement programs following the ruling. Okaloosa County moved to prohibit red-light and school-zone speed cameras, while Palm Beach County commissioners rejected a proposal involving school-zone cameras.

During Tuesday’s discussion, commissioners raised broader concerns about whether motorists understand how automated school-zone enforcement works and whether the process provides adequate due-process protections.

Commission Chairman Christian Caban criticized the automated enforcement process following the vote, saying motorists can be placed in the position of having to challenge an automatically generated violation. He said he supported the commission’s decision not to accept the vendor bids.

The county’s action comes as Tallahassee’s existing school-zone camera program has generated substantial enforcement activity. According to previously reported figures, the city program had produced more than 50,000 notices of violation as of June. With violations carrying a $100 penalty, the citations represented as much as $5 million in potential collections. The city operates 48 cameras along 27 roadways covering 20 school zones.

Tuesday’s vote does not affect Tallahassee’s program because the city and county operate under separate jurisdictions.

The school-zone decision came during the same meeting in which commissioners unanimously moved against automated license plate readers on county property and rights-of-way. The two votes involved different technologies — school-zone cameras are designed to document speeding violations, while automated license plate readers collect plate information for law-enforcement purposes — but commissioners raised similar concerns about automated surveillance, due process and public trust.

Now the next question: What rules apply to political and social-media activity by a City employee during the workday?

Part 1 documented the timing: 225 of 343 comments — 65.6% — were posted between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. A review of Ray’s City timecards found dozens of comments during periods overlapping his documented City work schedule.

Part 2 examined the politics. NE Moderate repeatedly defended Matlow and Commissioner Jack Porter while criticizing Mayor John Dailey and Commissioners Curtis Richardson and Dianne Williams-Cox. Some comments went beyond policy disputes and addressed elections — advocating against candidates or discussing their prospects for winning or losing.

Florida Law: No Campaigning “While on Duty”

Florida law makes an important distinction between political activity conducted on an employee’s own time and political activity while working. Section 104.31(2), Florida Statutes, states: “An employee of the state or any political subdivision may not participate in any political campaign for an elective office while on duty.”

A violation is a first-degree misdemeanor.

But the statute also protects the political rights of government employees. Subsection (4) permits public employees to express opinions about candidates and issues and participate in political campaigns during off-duty hours, subject to other provisions of the law.

The law therefore does not prohibit Ray from supporting Matlow, Porter or other candidates, or criticizing Richardson, Williams-Cox or Dailey on his own time. The issue raised by the NE Moderate records is narrower: whether any of the anonymous activity constituted participation in an election campaign while Ray was on duty.

The distinction matters because some NE Moderate comments directly addressed elections.

On July 19, 2023, at 2:54 p.m., NE Moderate wrote about Richardson:

“Voted 3x to raise property taxes in 2023? No thanks Curtis.”

Ray’s City timecard shows his regular 8 a.m.-to-5 p.m. schedule that day.

Other posts predicted Richardson would “struggle and probably lose” and said a controversial City project would “help Curtis lose.”

Williams-Cox was also targeted. On Sept. 21, 2023, at 8:58 a.m., NE Moderate wrote that the same City controversy could “make sure Dianne is not viable for mayor in 2026.” Ray’s timecard shows a regular City workday on that date.

TR has not identified a Florida appellate decision specifically deciding whether anonymous comments on a news website advocating for or against a candidate constitute participation in a political campaign under Section 104.31.

And the timecards do not establish that every comment between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. was made while Ray was legally “on duty.” His records generally credit eight hours of work during a nine-hour span, indicating a meal period whose exact timing is not shown.

The records establish that the comments occurred during periods overlapping Ray’s recorded City workday. Determining whether individual comments were posted while he was legally “on duty” would require additional evidence gathered through an independent investigation.

A Recent Broward County Case

A recent Broward County case demonstrates how investigators have approached similar questions involving political activity, government working time and public resources.

Abiodun “Abbey” Ajayi was an operations manager in Broward County’s Records, Taxes and Treasury Division while running for the newly created elected position of Broward County Tax Collector in 2024. After Ajayi announced her candidacy, her supervisor specifically instructed her to keep campaign activities separate from her County employment.

The Broward Office of Inspector General later investigated.

Investigators reviewed Ajayi’s timecards, County email activity, campaign activity and two political podcast appearances conducted from her County office.

One podcast was recorded at approximately 10 a.m. on a Friday. Investigators determined Ajayi had not taken leave and was working her normal County schedule. During the program, she discussed her campaign and what she would do if elected.

A second podcast was recorded from her County office after working hours and included a solicitation for campaign contributions.

Investigators also determined Ajayi used her County email account for campaign-related matters 44 times.

The Broward OIG concluded that Ajayi had improperly mixed her campaign with her government employment and referred findings to other enforcement authorities. In January 2026, the OIG filed a formal administrative complaint. The matter was resolved in April 2026 when Ajayi admitted liability and agreed to pay a $4,000 fine.

The case is not identical to Ray’s situation.

Ajayi was herself a candidate and Broward County had specific rules governing County employees seeking office. Investigators also had evidence showing the use of County email, equipment and an office.

TR has not established that Ray used a City computer, City email account or City Internet connection to post the NE Moderate comments.

But the Broward investigation demonstrates the type of evidence used to answer such questions: timecards, leave records, electronic communications, devices, government facilities and the precise content and timing of the political activity.

Tallahassee Has Its Own Social-Media Policy

The City of Tallahassee also has rules governing employees’ personal social-media activity.

Administrative Policy 408 defines social media broadly, including blogs, message boards, online forums and news-media comment-sharing platforms — categories that could encompass comments posted on a news website.

The policy specifically addresses “City Employees — Personal Social Media Activity.” It states that employees using social media strictly for personal purposes outside the workplace do not need City approval.

However, it also states:

“Employees should limit time on personal Social Media accounts while at work.”

The policy goes further for City-related subjects. Employees are directed to consult the Department of Communications before discussing City-related matters through social-networking sites.

For employees whose City affiliation is publicly known, the policy says personal content should be appropriate to the public trust associated with their position. Employees are expected to be truthful, courteous and respectful and “shall not engage in name-calling or personal attacks or other such demeaning behavior.”

Those provisions are potentially relevant to NE Moderate.

The anonymous account repeatedly discussed City business, including taxes, the City Manager, police, development projects and actions taken by individual City commissioners. Some comments included disparaging descriptions of elected officials.

Whether Ray’s activity violated Policy 408 is ultimately a determination for the City. The policy’s statement that employees “should limit” personal social-media activity at work is also not the same as an absolute prohibition against all personal Internet use.

TPD Case Shows City Social-Media Rules Have Been Enforced

The City’s social-media restrictions are not merely theoretical. In 2020, Tallahassee Police Sgt. Gavin Larremore was investigated over a Facebook post he made concerning Black Lives Matter demonstrations and the City’s decision to paint a BLM mural near Gaines Street.

Larremore criticized the City’s support for the mural and referred to protesters as a “mob of thugs.”

Police Chief Lawrence Revell ordered an Internal Affairs investigation, saying he held TPD representatives to a high standard “whether on duty or off.”

The investigation substantiated violations of TPD’s social-media protocols and rules of conduct. Larremore received an 80-hour unpaid suspension, was demoted and was required to undergo counseling.

Larremore disputed the findings. He argued that the Facebook comments were made off duty, in a private capacity, and were protected by the First Amendment.

These actions demonstrate that the city of Tallahassee has previously investigated and disciplined an employee over personal social-media activity when officials determined the content violated applicable City and departmental standards.

The City’s current TPD social-media protocols continue to reference Administrative Policy 408 and state that officers are responsible for complying with social-media rules during official duties and, in specified circumstances, at other times as well.

Two Different Questions

The Ray records therefore raise two separate issues.

The first is time: Were comments advocating for or against candidates posted while Ray was legally on duty?

The second is resources and workplace conduct: Did Ray use City equipment, Internet access, accounts or working time to engage in the activity, and did the content comply with City social-media standards?

The IP-address records alone cannot answer the second question. An Internet address does not establish that a comment was posted from City Hall, through a City network or from a City-owned device.

But Florida law and Tallahassee’s own policies establish that the distinction between personal political activity and activity conducted as a government employee matters.

The Broward investigation shows how another Florida government examined that distinction by comparing political activity with timecards, leave records, government email and workplace resources.

And Tallahassee’s handling of the Larremore case demonstrates that the City has previously investigated personal social-media activity by an employee and imposed discipline after determining applicable policies had been violated.

The remaining question in the NE Moderate investigation is therefore increasingly specific:

Were Ray’s anonymous political activities simply protected personal political speech — or did activity occur while he was performing his taxpayer-funded City job or under circumstances governed by City workplace rules?

The agenda item was originated by the underground utilities and public infrastructure division. Program engineer Jared Whitaker responded to the request for more information by stating that the multi-faceted project was designed to upgrade aging infrastructure and resolve long-standing operational bottlenecks in the northeast service area.

According to staff, coordinating pipe replacement directly with Blueprint’s ongoing road construction reduces design and construction expenses, avoids future roadway disruptions, and maximizes taxpayer investment.

Key components of the utility plan include the following:

Water Main Upsizing: Replacing and relocating existing water mains into a dedicated utility corridor to improve system capacity, lower head loss, and enhance local fire protection.

Wastewater Force Main: Constructing a new force main along Bannerman Road that connects Pump Station 94 directly to the new Bannerman main.

Addressing Aging Facilities: Pump Station 94, located in Summerbrook, was constructed in 1991 and is nearing the end of its operational service life as well as its design capacity.

Eliminating Private Easement Bottlenecks: Currently, wastewater from Summerbrook and Ox Bottom is pumped across private property easements into a gravity sewer in Killearn Estates.
.
Three Key Points of Contradiction

Despite staff’s technical presentation, Commissioner Matlow strongly contested the item. During commission discussion, Matlow made several assertions that directly contradicted the facts and scope presented by Engineer Whitaker:

1. “Roadway Driven” vs. “Development Driven”
   
   Engineer Whitaker: Stated explicitly that the utility improvements are “roadway driven and operational in nature, not development driven,” pointing out that the active Blueprint roadway project merely provides a cost-effective opportunity to execute planned operational upgrades.
   
   Commissioner Matlow: Contradicted staff, declaring, “this is not roadway driven because a roadway does not create a need for new sewer capacity,” and arguing that the $10 million advancement was designed to accommodate new development on the urban fringe
   .
2. Pipe Destination and Purpose
   
   Engineer Whitaker: Explained that the proposed force main links Pump Station 94 in Summerbrook directly to the new Bannerman force main to serve the broader northeast service area— a point later reiterated by City Manager Reese Goad, who noted the line’s terminus is the pump station
   .
   Commissioner Matlow: Alleged that the project represents an “expansion on Meridian Road with all pipes leading to the Phipps property,” questioning if the infrastructure was secretly intended to support development on that tract
   .
3. Availability of Details and Justification
   
   Engineer Whitaker: Laid out specific project locations (Bannerman Road, Summerbrook, Killearn Estates), identified exact capacity constraints (Pump Station 94 reaching design limits), and outlined the neighborhoods benefiting from the work.
   .
   Commissioner Matlow: Maintained that the commission was being asked to authorize nearly $10 million with “no explanation of the location, the area, the need which areas would be served or why we need new capacity.”

The item passed 3-2 with Matlow and Commissioner Jack Porter voting no.

The Leon County Commission will receive an update on the effort at its September 15 meeting. County staff reports Leon County has completed the pre-qualification phase for the 2029 championships and has been approved by World Athletics to submit a formal bid.

The effort follows Tallahassee-Leon County’s successful hosting of the 2026 World Athletics Cross Country Championships on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Apalachee Regional Park. The one-day competition marked the first time the championships had been held in the United States since Boston hosted the event in 1992.

According to the county, the January event generated an estimated $6.09 million in local tourism economic impact and drew 15,262 attendees, including 10,900 visitors from outside Leon County. Fifty-seven percent of those visitors were making their first trip to Leon County.

County officials also point to the international exposure generated by the championships. The event was broadcast in 70 countries and federations and generated approximately 950 articles and stories worldwide. Nielsen calculated the event’s global impact at $24.5 million, which the county says was the highest recorded for a World Athletics Cross Country Championships.

The success has prompted discussions about a larger role for Leon County.

On August 5, County Chairman Christian Caban, County Administrator Vincent Long and county staff met with World Athletics President Sebastian Coe and CEO Jon Ridgeon in Eugene, Oregon. The discussions included Leon County’s 2029 bid and the possibility of a long-term hosting arrangement.

According to the agenda item, World Athletics is considering enhancements to the championships beyond 2030 and discussed using Leon County as a potential pilot location for a new hosting model.

Under such an arrangement, Leon County could assume responsibility for transportation, logistics, volunteers, venue operations, athlete experience and community engagement, while World Athletics would retain responsibility for governance and competition standards.

In the meantime, the county faces several deadlines in its pursuit of the 2029 championships. The initial bid application is due October 23, 2026, followed by a final application on January 29, 2027. World Athletics is expected to select the 2029 host in March 2027.

County staff is developing the bid package, including plans for a new course at Apalachee Regional Park, accommodations, transportation, finances, event operations and marketing.

The agenda item has no immediate fiscal impact. If Leon County wins the 2029 championships, staff would return to commissioners with proposed hosting costs.

Since 2013, Apalachee Regional Park has hosted more than 75 local, state, regional and national championships and meets, attracted more than 80,000 athletes and runners, and generated more than $84 million in direct spending, according to county estimates.

NewsGuard has evaluated the reliability of more than 36,000 news sources worldwide. A 2025 peer-reviewed analysis of NewsGuard’s ratings database found an average score of 63.6, placing TR’s score nearly 29 points above that benchmark. In the U.S., the 92.5 assigned to Tallahassee Reports is 35.7 points above the U.S. average of 56.8.

Tallahassee Reports publisher Kathy Stewart responded to the ratings by saying, “over the last 15 years we have strived to provide the community with a credible source of fact-based local news. The ratings from these independent groups indicate we are succeeding.”

NewsGuard designated Tallahassee Reports as “Generally Credible,” stating that the website “mostly adheres to basic standards of credibility and transparency.” TR received credit for eight of the organization’s nine criteria.

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NewsGuard’s review noted that Tallahassee Reports does not publish false or egregiously misleading information, gathers and presents information responsibly, maintains effective correction practices, responsibly distinguishes news from opinion, avoids deceptive headlines, clearly labels advertising, identifies those in charge and provides information about its writers.

In its assessment of the publication’s journalism, NewsGuard concluded that articles on TallahasseeReports.com are “typically fact-based and well-sourced,” frequently relying on elected officials, government releases and government data. The review also found that headlines accurately reflect story content and that news articles are typically neutral in tone.

NewsGuard also reviewed TR’s corrections practices and found that the publication has a policy to post corrections identifying any mistake and explaining how it was corrected.

TR lost 7.5 points on one transparency criterion. While Tallahassee Reports identifies itself as a project of the nonprofit Red Hills Journalism Foundation, NewsGuard said the website does not disclose its donors, which does not satisfy NewsGuard’s standard for nonprofit financing disclosure.

In response, Stewart said “in a small media market like Tallahassee, it is import to offer privacy for those small donors who want to be involved with journalism. Also, any donor that contributes more than 5% of Red Hills’ annual revenue is identified in a publicly available document.”

Local Government Advertising

NewsGuard also investigated recent criticisms related to Tallahassee Reports receiving local government advertising.

NewsGuard confirmed that city expense data show that the city paid Tallahassee Reports $28,000 from January 2024 to March 2026. NewsGuard stated that “all payments were classified as advertising, a common practice for city governments” and added “over the same period from January 2024 to March 2026, the city paid the Tallahassee Democrat $40,500 for advertisements..”

On the issue Stewart said, “these findings indicate news consumers need to be diligent in evaluating the statements from community leaders who challenge the messenger rather than TR’s fact-based journalism.”

Other Rating Services, Political Bias

Media Bias/Fact Check, another rating group, currently describes Tallahassee Reports as having a right-leaning editorial perspective but fact-based local reporting. Its November 2024 review specifically says TR’s local news uses relatively neutral language and cites government records. It reported no failed fact checks at the time of its review.

There is some disagreement about political orientation. A current aggregation of ratings reports that Ad Fontes Media rates TR “Center,” while Media Bias/Fact Check rates it “Right.” Ground News currently gives Tallahassee Reports a “Lean Right” bias rating and “High” factuality rating.

For comparison, the Media Bias/Fact Check rates the Tallahassee Democrat and WFSU as Left-Center Bias and Florida Phoenix as Left Bias.

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The proposal originated with County Commission Chairman Christian Caban, who raised the issue in June and called for a temporary pause while county officials study the potential impacts of large-scale data centers on electricity and water supplies, utility rates, the environment and surrounding communities.

The proposed ordinance would temporarily halt the acceptance, review and approval of certain development applications involving large-load facilities in unincorporated Leon County. The pause would apply to development permits, development orders, rezonings and site plans while county officials develop regulations addressing the potential impacts of such facilities.

County commissioners directed staff in July to pursue the moratorium following the passage of Senate Bill 484, which took effect July 1. The new state law highlights planning, infrastructure and compatibility issues associated with facilities that have substantial electric or other utility demands.

According to the county, neither the Leon County Development Code nor the Tallahassee-Leon County 2050 Comprehensive Plan currently contains specific provisions addressing large-load customers or data centers. County staff says the moratorium would provide time to study potential impacts and develop amendments before applications are received.

The proposed moratorium is not a permanent prohibition. County staff reports there are currently no approved or pending applications for large-scale data centers in unincorporated Leon County.

Among the issues expected to be evaluated are impacts on economic development and tax revenue, land and water resources, energy consumption and utility rates, and public health and safety. A state-required independent study addressing many of the same issues is due by July 1, 2027.

The county proposal also comes amid questions about the ability of the area’s existing electric infrastructure to accommodate a large data center. During a June City Commission meeting, then-City Manager Reese Goad said neither the Comprehensive Plan nor city code permitted large-scale data centers and that additional electric-generating capacity would be needed to accommodate such a facility.

The moratorium would apply only to unincorporated Leon County and would not be countywide.

County staff recommends commissioners conduct the first hearing and schedule the second and final public hearing for Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. The Sept. 15 hearing is required before the ordinance can be adopted.